Environment

Royal Society of Edinburgh discussion - Life in the Soil: does it matter?

The evening will focus on the vital roles which biodiversity beneath our feet play - in maintaining the soil's fertility, the ecosystems services which they perform, the possibility of new pharmaceutical products, and the problems associated with disease transmission. Soil ecosystems are rich, diverse and vital to life and society.

Speakers to include:

Using visitor studies to inform better visitor experiences

Your time and money are in short supply! Use your resources effectively by understanding what your visitors really want.

This event will look at ways you can use visitor studies to provide better visitor experiences.

The event will address the best use of visitor studies from large to small scale projects.

The Tesco Local Community Scheme for community greenspace projects is now open for applications until 11 December 2015.

The money raised from the 5p bag charge in Tesco stores will be used to pay for a large number of local projects to improve greenspaces in communities across Scotland, England and Wales. The grant scheme is administered by Groundwork, working with greenspace scotland to deliver the programme in Scotland.

What Future for our Farming Systems? Environmental Challenges and Integrated Solutions

Farming systems across Scotland, the UK and Europe can vary markedly from place to place. A range of factors can influence what types of production are practiced in any one place. However, climate and soil type are especially important in dictating the type and intensity of management that is possible.

Winter Talk: Walking the Pyrenees and The Forest Communities of Romania

Walking the Pyrenees and The Forest Communities of Romania - Talk by Chris Goodman

From the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and sustainable management of Romanian forests by local communities.

Part of Greener Borders - A Network of Borders Environmental Groups - Winter Talks 2015.

Talk promoted by John Muir Trust Borders Group

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on the draft Land Use Strategy 2016-2021.

The ten-week consultation seeks views on the future of land use, with the aim of getting the most from Scotland's land in an integrated and sustainable way.

A range of policies and proposals are set out including:

A three-year training programme for people from multi-cultural communities has been launched in the Cairngorms National Park.

The Community Leadership Project will train 15 people from across Scotland giving them the skills and qualifications to develop and deliver local environmental projects.

The Anders Wall Award for individuals who have made a special contribution to the rural environment within the European Union is open for entries.

Anders Wall Foundation from Stockholm in association with the European Commission, Directorate General for the Environment, Brussels, the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry and the "Friends of the Countryside", has decided to introduce the award.

The landowner of the selected project will receive a prize of €15,000.

Eligibility criteria:

Scottish Rural Action have announced that the first Scottish Rural Summit will take place on 24 November in East Lothian.

This event will bring together invited representatives from the public sector, rural communities and others to look at opportunities for rural Scotland to be empowered, connected and sustainable.

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